Internal freight rates for Sughd province have been raised for the purpose of regulating railway transportation.

Deputy head of Tajik Railways (Tajik national railway company), Usmon Qalandarov, made the comment in an interview with Asia-Plus on April 10.

“Until 2011, the Dushanbe section had accounted for 70 percent of rail cargo shipments, the Sughd section had accounted for 20 percent and the Khatlon section had accounted for 10 percent,” Qalandarov noted.

Meanwhile, the Sughd section now accounts for 80 percent of cargo shipments by rail and the southern part of the country now accounts for only 20 percent of cargo shipments by rail, Tajik official said.

“According to the reached agreements, Uzbekistan reduced rail transit cargo fees for Tajikistan on March 10. Thus, the transit fee for shipment of one ton of oil products via Uzbek territory to the Sughd province of Tajikistan has decreased from 70 to 25 U.S. dollars, and the transit fee for shipment of one ton of oil products via Uzbek territory to the southern part of Tajikistan has decreased from 170 to 70 U.S. dollars,” Qalandarov said.

According to him, the Tajik side has committed itself to regulate shipment of cargo through its territory, redirecting the bulk of cargo from the north to the south, “as it had been until 2011.”

To date, the bulk of cargo intended for central and southern parts of the country has been shipped to Sughd and from there it has been delivered by automotive transportation to the south of the country that has led to additional expenses, Qalandarov added.

Recall, Tajik Railways has raised internal rates for cargo being shipped though the northern Sughd province. New internal freight rates took effect on April 5.

Thus, the rate for shipment of petroleum products through the Sughd province has risen 140 percent, the liquefied gas shipping rate has risen 70 percent and the rates for shipping other commodities though the Sughd province have risen 50 percent.

As it had been reported earlier, Uzbekistan reduced rail transit cargo fees for Tajikistan last month. The rail transit cargo fees have been reduced for three routes. Uzbekistan has reduced transit fees for cargo carried along the Keles-Kudukli and the Khojadavlat-Kudukli rail routes by 40 percent. The transit fee for oil products carried along the Karakalpakstan-Kudukli rail route has been cut by 30 percent and the transit fee for other goods carried along this route has been cut by 50 percent.